
78
FRIDAY
November 27
Further Study:
Read Ellen G. White, “The Smitten Rock,”
pp. 411–421; “The Journey Around Edom,” pp. 422–432; “The
Conquest of Bashan,” pp. 433–437, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
“Nicodemus was being drawn to Christ. As the Saviour explained to
him concerning the new birth, he longed to have this change wrought
in himself. By what means could it be accomplished? Jesus answered
the unspoken question: ‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder-
ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.’
“Here was ground with which Nicodemus was familiar. The symbol
of the uplifted serpent made plain to him the Saviour’s mission. When
the people of Israel were dying from the sting of the fiery serpents, God
directed Moses to make a serpent of brass, and place it on high in the
midst of the congregation. Then the word was sounded throughout the
encampment that all who would look upon the serpent should live. The
people well knew that in itself the serpent had no power to help them. It
was a symbol of Christ. As the image made in the likeness of the
destroying serpents was lifted up for their healing, so One made ‘in the
likeness of sinful flesh’ was to be their Redeemer. . . . Whether for the
healing of their wounds or the pardon of their sins, they could do noth-
ing for themselves but show their faith in the Gift of God. They were to
look and live.”—Ellen G. White,
The Desire of Ages, pp. 174, 175.
Discussion Questions:
● Think about the story of the fiery serpents. Talk about having
to act on faith. That is, just by looking at the brazen serpent, the
Israelites were promised to be spared what would otherwise have
been a certain death. There was no natural explanation; their life
depended upon a supernatural act on their behalf. How does that
reflect the plan of salvation, as well? What should this tell us about
just how helpless we are on our own, apart from God, for eternal
life? How should this reality keep us humble?
● In what ways might we, either as individuals or as a church, be
making some of the same mistakes as the children of Israel made?
Why is it always so hard to see our own spiritual weak points?
Summary:
This segment of the book of Numbers focuses on the close
of the 40 y
ears of w
andering. Grieving over the death of their sister
Miriam, Moses and Aaron, in a state of anger, sin against the Lord.
Later, the g
r
umbling congregation, bitten by death-dealing snakes,
found physical and spiritual healing by faith when they looked upon a
bronze serpent the Lord commanded Moses to make and place before
them. Following this humbling experience, the Lord enabled Israel to
conquer the
Amorites of
T
ransjordan and to seize their ter
ritories.
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